ITALY. – VENICE – VENETIA – VENEZIA BY BRAUN & HOGENBERG CIRCA 1580.

 

 

VENETIA

A highly attractive copper line engraving on paper, produced to accompany Braun & Hogenberg's "Civitates Orbis Terrarum", and first published in 1572. The lower section of the map has a key in Italian to 153 locations, together with a ducal procession. The Doge appears in the centre of the procession, preceded by civil servants ranked by seniority and followed by magistrates and members of the Church. Latin text on verso.

COMMENTARY BY BRAUN: "Venice is divided into six districts; near the shore one can see two huge columns, on one of which stands the symbol of St Mark, namely the winged lion, on the other St Theodore. Between these columns is the place where criminals are punished. The market square is embellished by the magnificent and wonderful church of St Mark, which was built of precious and costly marble. [...] The streets of the city are intersected by canals, which are spanned by wooden and stone bridges, of which some 400 can be counted. There are, however, over 8,000 small boats in which one can travel to and fro."

Thanks to its geographical position, Venice for centuries played an undisputed leading role in trade between East and West. In the 15th/16th centuries the city on the lagoon, with a population of some 150,000, also experienced a flowering of the arts. The 400 bridges over its 180 canals include above all the famous Rialto (150), at that time the only bridge over the Grand Canal. The originally wooden bridge with its many stalls and shops was replaced in 1591 by a stone bridge. Standing out from amongst the sea of buildings - supported on millions of wooden piles - are St Mark's square with the cathedral, the bell-tower and the two columns bearing the city's patron saints, Mark (represented by a lion) and Theodore. Opposite St Mark's square lies the Island of San Giorgio with its monastery and church. Above the city is Murano, to where all Venice's glass-making workshops were moved in the 13th century for reasons of fire prevention. Ships, boats and Venetian gondolas fill the harbour. (Taschen)

Measures approx. 335 x 480 mm. Excellent condition.

Attractive Hand Colour.

 

A guaranteed genuine antique map.